Etching machine



Feb, 24. 1925.

I w 31a/vanto@ Or'ro Baar/MM o. BERTRAM E'rcune MACHINE Filed Nay 12 rgb, 24, 1925.

.attonww Patented Feb. 24, 1925.A 5 'l AUNITED sTATEs 1,527,622 PATENTl orricr..

OTTO BERTRAM, or OAK naar:y ILLINOIS.

' ETCHING MACHINE.

Application led May 12,-

T0 all whom t may concern.'

VBe it known that I, O'r'ro BERTRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Etching Machines, 4of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to etching machines and more particularly to a means for thoroughly diffusing'the acid supplied to the plate tobe etched.

Briefly stated'animportant object of this invention is to provide an etching machine consisting of a box like closure having a transversely curved corrugated spray dis- 4 tributor located adjacent the paddle or other agitator and adapted to direct the supply of acid to the plate to be etched in a well distributed and finely diffused spray to bring about the efficient and expeditious etching of the plate.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an etching machine which is of highly simplified construction, and com paratively simple to operate.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a front elevation of the machine, part being broken away to illustrate the transversely curved corrugated diffusing member;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the machine.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a casing the inside of which is provided with a ledge 6 having a tray 7 to support a plate 8 to be etched. It will be seen that the tray 7 is provided with a plurality of more or less parallel grooves 9 into which the lower portion of the plate 8 is extended and of course when the plate is extended into the grooves 9 it is held in place during the application of the acid thereto.

In carrying out the invention the casing may be provided with the usual air inlet end over which the shield 11 is extended in the usual and well known manner.

Fig. 2 illustrates that apaddle 14 is eX- 1924, 'serial No. 712,836.

tended longitudinally through-the machine -andis provided with blades which pick up fuser 16, the longitudinal edges of which are secured to the back of the casing and to the inner edge of'a horizontal support 18.

rFhe transversely curved distributer and diffuser 16 extends for the full length of the casing and overhangs the paddle 14 so that when the paddle picks up a quantity of liquid it strikes the distributer and from the distributer it is supplied to the plate in a .finely diffused and well distributed spray to bring about the expeditious and thorough etching of the plate.

Particular attention-is directed to the fact that the transversely curved distributer is corrugated longitudinally to provide a plurality of angularly disposed faces against which the liquid strikes and it will be seen that these faces formed by corrugating the distributer longitudinally are disposed in intersecting planes and consequently the acid supplied to the plate to be etched is not too heavy or concentrated.

The paddle 14C is provided with a shaft 2O rotatably extended through the bearings 21 on the upper ends of the standard 22. A pulley wheel 24C or other power transmitting mechanism may be connected to the shaft 2O to bring about the rotation of the paddle at the desired speed.

Also the top of the casing may be provided with a ,fume extracting pump 25 operated from any suitable or convenient source.

With reference to the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that the contact faces of the transversely curved spray distributer are arranged in intersecting planes and consequently the plate to be etched is supplied with a finely diffused and well distributed spray, all of which contributes to the successful and efficient operation of the machine.

It will be seen with reference to Fig. 2 that the addition of the transversely curved longitudinally corrugated spray distributer will not in any way interfere with the operation of the other parts of the machine or render the same inaccessible for the purpose .of repair or adjustment. Furthermore this arrangement does not interfere with the convenient insertion or removal of the plates to be etched.

Having'thus'described the invention, What is claimed is:

l. An etching machine comprising an acid containing casing having means for supporting a plate to be etched, a transversely curved spray distributer for supplying a finely diffused spray ofacid to `the plate to be etched, and a paddle for supplying acid to said distributer, said spray distributer being provided` with a multiplicity of separate contact faces arranged in intersecting planes.

2. An etching machine comprising a casing adapted for the reception of an etching acid, a paddle arranged Within the casing, means to support a plate toy be etched at one side of the casing, and a .transversely curved spray distributer overhanging the paddle and arranged opposite the plate to be etched, said distributer being provided with longitudinal corrugations having flat faces disposed in a multiplicity of intersecting planes.

3. An etching machine comprising a casing adapted for the reception of an etchingacid, a paddle arrangedwithin the casing, means to support a plate to be etched at one side of the casing', and a transversely curved spray distributer overhanging Vthe paddle and arranged opposite the plate to be etched, Said dis'tributer being provided with a multiplicity of horizontal corrugations having flat faces, arranged in intersect- 4ing planes whereby to finely diffuse the acid deflected to the plate to be etched.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature.

' OTTO BERTRAM." 

